


The Blue House

by sg_fic



Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-06-13
Packaged: 2018-04-04 05:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4127031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sg_fic/pseuds/sg_fic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The real reason we didn’t get to see Jimmy playing Hugh's boyfriend in “Thy Boy from Oz”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Blue House

**Author's Note:**

> Woke up in a RPS kind of mood so I'm cross-posting. Inspired by all of the interviews in which Jimmy was quoted saying he can’t remember why The Boy from Oz never came to be. And I know writers don't really bother with disclaimers anymore and yet: LIES. All of it.

 

_“I don’t remember why that didn’t happen. I think it was because I was doing something or I don’t know what it was but I would love to do something with him actually. He’s just like the nicest man in the world.” -JM_

  
  
“…WELCOME TO THE BLUE HOUSE!”  
  
“HELLO FROM THE SMALL MOUSE-“  
  
“-THINGS TO DO,”  
  
“FUN FOR YOU!”  
  
“WANT SOME FUN?”  
  
“HERE’S WHERE!”  
  
“JUST FOR YOU!”  
  
“ALL IS NEW”  
  
“IN THE HOUSE OF BLU- - - E?“  
  
"Don’t let me interrupt you guys,” The head of hair department smiled from ear to ear as she entered the makeup trailer, “Great song choice by the way!”  
  
“G’Day Jen!”  
  
It won Hugh another broad smile from his hair designer and a chuckle form James followed by a teasing “Arvo mate!” that could have fooled Hugh’s own mother.  
  
“Hugh, Jimmy. Dropped by to check on your… hmm…” She reached for the glued mutton chops that completed Hugh’s Wolverine look and carefully prodded the edges. “…Okay, I’ll give it another ten minutes or so and you’ll be good to go.”  
  
“Leaving already O'Halloran? Won’t you stay for one song?” Hugh asked and the woman’s gaze jumped from the Aussie’s warm smile to James Marsden’s sparkling eyes.  
  
“Wish I could. Have a date with Alan Cumming.” She said, emphasizing her words by shaking the can of hairspray she was holding.  
  
They were shooting one of the last scenes for X-2 that day, an exterior shot with snow, wind, the entire ensemble and one extra-prissy director. She was getting a headache just thinking about it.  
  
“Got to go guys. Hugh-“ she stopped at the door and turned, “Don’t touch the side burns for another ten… Make that fifteen minutes, just to be on the safe side, and you-“ She turned to James with a glare. His amusement faded in a blink of an eye and he stared at her with huge, innocent, blue eyes. All he missed was a halo.  
  
“Don’t look at me like that, mess up your hair-do again and I’m fixing it with glue!”  
  
“Moi?” James asked with theatrical insult, baby blues widening even more.  
  
“Actors!” She exhaled, but with a smile. Guy sure knew how to work his goofy charm. It was her past with the semi-hyperactive actor that got her waving her finger in forewarning.  
  
“I mean it Jimmy!” Getting his hair to be so damn… _preppy_ , was harder than it looked.  
  
“I mean it too.” His lips were a tight line but the gleam in his eyes was back. That was the thing with Jimmy – whenever he wasn’t smiling she could see the wheels in his head turning, his lips working, his expressive eyebrows dance…So different from the character he was playing. Being around him was uplifting, his energy was contagious.

 _…But not today..._ She hadn’t the time for it.  
  
“Hugh, keep an eye on him?”  
  
“-Hey!” There was true resentment in the young actor’s voice.  
  
“Sure thing.” Came the accented reply and James eyes widened in a disbelieving glare.  
  
“Thank you,” she said with true relief, “Bye guys, play nice!”  
  
“- Later!”  
  
“ – bye.”  
  
Was it her or did James still sounded bitter? From the distance she could swear she heard Bryan Singer stressing out over something and she hurried to Alan’s trailer.

“…Keep an eye on me… A guy gets hit with a snowball thrown by a possessed Hollander and this is what he gets?”

  
Hugh only smiled softly. It wasn’t much like him, but he was pretty quite since the morning. Reserved. Maybe he was already in character.  
  
_“…pa-pa-pa pond pond, if you’re looking for a place to jump and play, pa-pa-pa pond pond! ”_  
  
Maybe not.  
  
James smiled. He loved the time he and Hugh got to spent together before shots; usually, much like now, Hugh was waiting for the glue on his face to dry out and James would keep him company – between his training and shooting schedule it was the only time Hugh ever got to just sit and relax. They would sing and talk and laugh. Mainly sing though, which reminded him he owed Hugh an answer.  
  
Last time they really talked was at one of the gathers Ian held. Over drinks by the pool, Hugh offered him a part in a new musical he was doing, about a guy named Peter… something. Guy was someone big down under. In not too many words, Hugh offered he would play his boyfriend in the show.  
  
Though very flattering, the idea of a live crowd… Even now it made stomach all fluttery. In front of the camera, sure, he felt he could do about anything, but on stage… and yet…  
  
Hugh gave him time to think about it and James found he couldn’t refuse. Couldn’t bring himself to say yes yet, but he was intrigued. Being an outstanding actor, giving an authentic show, had always related to performing arts in his mind, to the stage.

  
He gave it a lot of thought lately – it wasn’t often that an upcoming role kept him up at nights. He was nervous about it, but if there was one guy he trusted enough to do a musical with…  
  
He looked up at the leather suited man sitting across him, humming to himself between random _“pa-ponds”_ , amazed as always to see how ‘Wolverine’ was nothing but one of Hugh’s states of mind.  
  
The guy was such a great actor on top of being a great… everything, that James soon gave up on the pissing contest. The guy was more famous, more successful, more experienced, earned more... Once James learned to accept that instead of resenting it, he found there was no limit to the fondness and admiration he felt for the Australian lead…

  
…He wanted to try his hand at musicals, but if to be truly honest, working with Hugh again would be the real perk.  
  
Made him feel like he was back in high school, but he was infatuated with the idea of their names flaunting on billboards all over Times Square. He wanted to relate to the other guy in the public eye. It was silly, but so damn important he couldn’t explain.  
  
“Hugh?”  
  
No time like the present. He was going to say yes. Once he’d board that roller coaster there would be no turning back, and sometimes that was exactly what he needed. Just to get past that _‘yes’._  
  
“Yeah, I know what you’re thinking mate.”  
  
_Oh?_  
  
Hugh grinned and James’ heart skipped a beat. He was actually going through with it! Do a musical, play Hugh’s boyfriend... Anticipation mingled with the sweetest anxiety began filling him when Hugh opened his mouth.  
  
_“…Lots of room at our house, catch the moon at our house!”_  
  
_Oh._  
  
Disappointed, James smiled, but Hugh’s cheer was contagious and he couldn’t hang him out to dry -  
  
“ – KITCHEN’S HERE,”  
  
“-BATHROOM’S THERE!”  
  
“ATTIC FULL OF STUFF HERE,”  
  
“PILLOWS FULL OF FLUFF HERE!”  
  
“WHOOP-DE- _DOOoo- -“_  
  
“…”  
  
_Shit._ That was off key… way off. Which was a silly thing, considering what they were singing, but… not in front of Hugh… Not in front of the one guy that could carry a tune like no other. The guy he was about to say _‘sure I’ll take part in your musical’ to._  
  
He looked up. Hugh was actually chucking.  
  
“You’re gonna let an off pitch bring you down?”  
  
James could feel heat creeping up his neck. His little hero-idolization thingy for Hugh was slowly getting out of hand and he knew it. He liked thinking of himself as an easy going kind of guy; usually not a minute went by without him being silly. Around Hugh he was all too aware of himself for his own good. Why did he care so much about impressing his co star?  
  
“Ever had voice development training?” Hugh asked, ignoring his obvious red tint. The guy was amazing like that – very aware of others, very considerate. Grateful James answered,  
  
“Me? Hm, no, not really. Took a couple of _voice coaching for actors_ at the beginning.”  
  
“Really? Then you’re a natural mate - not many blokes can sing like that without taking lessons.”  
  
“Takes special training to be that off key?” James tried nervously, but Hugh didn’t laugh.  
  
Compliments? Smile and thank. Compliments from Hugh? A variety of self-embarrassments. Why couldn’t he be his own goofy self around the guy? Why did he have to turn into this nervous-extra-goofy-weirdo? _…hmm…_ maybe he was being himself after all…  
  
“…”  
  
The silence was painfully loud while Hugh watched him with those intense brown eyes of his.  
  
He then got up wilful, black leather suit squeaking, a whiff of his cologne and hairspray tickling James’ nose.  
  
“Come here Jimmy.”  
  
What? James narrowed his eyes. Licked his lips nervously. Hugh was still waiting, and doubtfully, James rose to his feet.  
  
“It’s really about breathing. You want to make room for your diaphragm.”  
  
“ ‘kay.” James said in apprehension, still not sure why they were standing there, until Hugh did that _thing- -_  
  
A palm was pressed to his abdomen. Even through the black leather he was wearing, Hugh was burning hot. He smelled so good.  
  
“Sing, Jimmy.”  
  
“W-what?”  
  
“Sing, I want to see something.”  
  
A nod. “Hmm… Okay…” Just standing. Nodding again. Thinking real fast.  
  
_Sing?_ What was he suppose to sing when his mouth felt so dry? He swallowed against his tight throat. Maybe he should tell Hugh about the musical now, before he gets a chance to change his mind? _Sing. Right._  
  
_”…Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayon too…”_ Okay. That wasn’t awful.  
  
The palm pressed to him vibrated as Hugh chuckled softly. James closed his eyes.  
  
“You really got the chops mate. You should constrict more though.”  
  
“…Huh?”  
  
“Your stomach. More air-“  
  
Another hand sent to the small of his back, supporting him, and a slight pressure against his abdomen showed him where to direct the air.  
  
“Now breathe.”  
  
_Breathing. Okay._ That he could do. James closed his eyes. Concentrated on his breathing. Nope. Even that was hard now, his insides all shaky. _Jeez! What’s with you Marsden?_  
  
“Deeper. Try to inhale as deep as you can. Feel your midriff.”  
  
He was feeling his midriff alright. As well as his lower back. But he remembered similar exercises from the past and did his best to breathe as he was told. _Breathing exercises. Easy. Not hard._ Every breath he took carried Hugh’s amazing scent, making him a little heady.  
  
“Good onya mate!”  
  
James chose to believe that is a good thing. He opened his eyes and Hugh’s smile conformed it was. _Good._ His great smelling, great looking role model would now let him be. Right?  
  
“Mate you’ve got to do some sort of musical, you’re dying to do it, obviously.” James’ mouth opened to say he’d love to, but he was caught in Hugh’s gaze. It was strangely intense, brown eyes locked with his for a long moment. “…you’ve got to do it,” Hugh’s words sounded afar in his head.  
  
…Was it him, or were they standing a lot closer now? Hugh’s hands were still on him, and he could feel his face heating up again. Years in the business taught him to put on a perfect poker face when needed, but Hugh was getting under his skin and he didn’t know how to fight it.  
  
They _were_ standing closer. Two hands rested on his back now, holding him, and Hugh was close. So close… His gaze a bit hazy, his head a bit tilted, he was moving even closer and _Godd - -_  
  
He was kissing him!- - Took James one second too long to close his eyes, instincts kicking in, rushed thoughts erupting. Hugh Jackman was kissing him- - In his career many guys ogled him, he even wrote off some of the parts he won to some producer’s lecherous glare, but he never allowed anyone to- - _Mmmm…_  
  
Hugh coaxed his lips to part and deepened the kiss, pressed harder against him. He was a slow kisser, tonguing him leisurely, like it’s obvious, like they’ve done it before, like James was his to kiss…

And man, he was good.  
  
They were both wearing leather and James chose not to think about the thrill the rough material gave him. Not thinking, he sent a hand to Hugh’s nape, tilting his head some more so that they could kiss just like… _that._  
  
His fingers entwined in short strands of hair, the hands that held him squeezed tighter, flat hard chest pressed against his, whiskers burned his skin. He rubbed against Hugh, loving it until he felt - -  
  
_God._  
  
Oh god. He was kissing a _guy_ , he was hard and Hugh was _another guy and OH GOD - -_  
  
He realized that the strangled cry he was hearing rose from his throat and within seconds Hugh was gone.  
  
He opened his eyes.  
  
Rejected, Hugh stared at him, wide eyes, panting.  
  
“God, Jimmy… I’m sorry mate.”  
  
“…Hugh- “  
  
“It won’t happen again.”  
  
“…“  
  
“I should get going.”  
  
“Hugh, wait- ”  
  
The door shut behind the tall man, leaving him all alone in the trailer.  
  
James exhaled loudly. His lips were numb; his skin tingled from stubble burn, his knees felt weak. Dizzy, he sat, waiting for his beating heart to settle.  
  
He didn’t hate it. Hugh kissed him and he didn’t hate it, and if anyone back home ever finds out… Not thinking about it. He didn’t want to.  
  
He heard the first call for all cast and crew and rose to his feet. Dazed, he walked to the door. It was freezing outside and blindingly bright. Ice cold wind had his eyes tearing. He made his way to the location, still all shaky inside. Waved hello to Famke and Rebecca. Watched Bryan bustling about. Stared at the crushed snow at his feet. Sniffed the back of his hand where Hugh’s cologne clung to his skin. He didn’t get to say yes.  
  
They shot the scene.  
  
Then the next.  
  
Then the last.  
  
To his bitter disappointment Hugh never brought up their kiss again.  
  
Or the musical.  
  
  
  
The End.


End file.
